A man and woman from the South Bay pleaded not guilty Friday to charges stemming from an alleged plot to hire an assassin to kill a man who was dating the woman's daughter.

Adelina Cristobal, 45, of Lawndale and Antonio "Kora" Quevedo, 34, of Hawthorne are charged in federal court with conspiracy to use, and the use of interstate commerce facilities - namely, telephones and automobiles - to transfer money intended to carry out the plot, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Suzanne H. Segal set a status conference for March 22 and a trial date of April 2 before a federal judge in Santa Ana.

According to a federal grand jury indictment, the intended victim - identified by the initials S.J. - was "in a secret romantic relationship" with Cristobal's daughter, and Quevedo allegedly helped broker the crime.

Authorities began investigating the pair after receiving information they were attempting to solicit someone to commit a murder on their behalf, said Christian Hoffman of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives.

An undercover officer posing as the hit man met with the couple, who offered $6,500 for the murder, federal prosecutors allege.

Cristobal allegedly agreed to pay $500 to Quevedo for finding the "hit man," according to the two-count indictment.

The pair were arrested Jan. 24.

The case was filed in federal court because the defendants allegedly used interstate commerce facilities in the commission of the crime, Hoffman said.